The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-04-08

sons powerful hand was on his arm.
'.What do You mean. you little fool?'
he cried. "Was this what you came
here forf Jes' you ride home a.
fast CT you kin CO." he added, taking
him aside, IAN for Gods sake DOM
let your folks know of this. I'll moi
tell.
'.Ef it had been any one but Jimmy
soliloquized the good-humored fellow,
as he went back to his companions. 81
shouldn't have cared. Jake amt very
pretty. anyhow. an Ircckon he'd make
better lookin' angel than any thing
else"
Jim. meantime. mounted and rode
off without looking back. Angry tears
forced themselves to his eyes as he
pressed on. taking no note of the road
until December sunset flames burned
out along the horizon. The sudden
twilight warned him to seek some shell.
ter for the night, which had already
promised to be colder than usual. He
rode up a deep gulch. dismouAtei,
fastened his pony, and made a brush
fire, luckily finding few matches in
his pocket. Then he leaned against
the bank and thought over the days
events. Fiery thoughts he had. until
another idea made its entrance into his
brain. cooling them off little.
"What right had you there at all?''
insinuated conscience. or whatever re-
Elective faculty takes her place in a
boys mind. Had he not started out to
find poor little Kitty. who was now.
perhaps through his fault, lying stiff
and cold somewhere on the broad prai-
rie! Jim liked Kitty Nichols. sup
pose any rough but kind-hearted boy
would have liked such pretty, blue
eyed mite, when she came running to
meet him with unfailing delight. Her
folks were neighbors and she was
their only little girl. His heart re-
preached him for having left her to her
fate.
20, well. they've surely found her
by this time" he reasoned uneasily;
then. heaping up the fire, fell asleep.
He awoke shivering with more than
cold. He thought that, finding Kitty
asleep, he had called her to rise and
come home, when a lean, gray wolf
bounded upon her. He seized it by the
throat, but had not the strength to
strangle it, and dared not let go.
Though near home he was unable to
speak aloud, either to call help or
wake the sleeping child. while the air
was hideous with the sharp cries of adj
vancing wolves. When he shook off
this nightmare. his comfort was not in
creased by hearing the yells of his
dream multiply around him, and seeing
wcll-known dark figures stink over the
hills. A light snow had sifted down
during the night, and the world showed
ghostly white in the cold, gray dawn.
With much difficulty Jimmy coaxed
the damp wood to blaze. and hung
over it in hungry remembrance of the
warm home breakfasts.
The sun had scarcely risen above the
low hills when watery-looking clouds
obscurcd the whole sky, and chill
wind whistled through the bushes. Jim
got the pony and started for home. On
fresh, cool mornings exercise of any
kind is delightful. and he had not gone
far before his spirits were considt rably
heightened.
Crossing gully his quick eye dis
cerned mark on the other side. 1t
was a child's footprint in the snow. He
followed it up and found chain of
such prints. But all around. intersect-
ing it in places, were the tracks of the
prairie wolves.
Just then the ground shook rs the
band of mounted herdcrs swept past.
Jake alone refined up beside him. His
face showed that he had been drink
ing.
Don't you wish you hadn't lost your
chance of catching Old Abe?" he
sneered.
1--WE as good a chance rs you have.
but I've something better to do" the
boy returned, tracing the tracks as he
spoke. Jake looked at him moment;
then, seeing how far the others were
ahead, spurred his broncho into join
ing them.
Left to himself Jim moved along.
watching the ground with intense in
terest. Last night she was alive, then,
and he might still find her. The light
snow, however. rapidly disappearing.
gave him no further aid.
Startled by the well-known rush of
hoofs and clamor of voices he hurried
his pony to point whence he could
see the chase. Straight onward flies
the Infatuated steer, holly pursued by
the herders. They have nearly run
him down. The mighty head is lower
ed, the fierce eyes haggard, ard the
muscles tense with exertion. tits easy
to see that he is near his end; easy to
know. also, that his last struggle will
be a desperate one.
Lifting his head, Old Abe glared
around him; then lowering his horns,
made a sudden sweep to the right at an
object not twenty yards away. Good
heavens! 1t was the light dress and
yellow hair of little Kitty Nichols. A
general shou:.rose. More than one re-
volver was drawn. but the shot was
withheld for fear of hitting the wrong
mark. Jake had the only chance, ant
he was equal to the emergency. He
swung his rawhide lassO, the loop few
out, settled over those cruel white